1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicle occupant restraint systems, and more specifically to knee bolsters of the type employed in vehicles having occupant restraint systems.
2. Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to design the structure of the lower portion of an automotive vehicle instrument panel to present a restraining surface in juxtaposition with the knees of a seated occupant. Certain of such structures employ a strengthening bar or the like in such a position.
The automotive industry has given great attention to the design of automobile interiors to provide energy absorbing structure forward the seated front seat occupants for managing loads imposed forwardly with respect to the vehicle during emergency conditions. Many of the components carried within the interior of a vehicle are passive devices. Among these devices are the steering column and the bracketry through which the steering column is attached to the vehicle body. A certain amount of energy absorbing stroking is often provided in the steering column and the bracketry, while grounded in the vehicle body, is specially designed to accommodate the stroking. In addition, cushioning structure is generally provided in the instrument panel, the steering wheel, and associated components within the vehicle body. These components, and others, such as air bags and seat belts, make up interior parts of the vehicle occupant restraint system.
It is desirable to enhance the energy absorbing capability of an overall occupant restraint system by ancillary structures, such as knee bolsters, which supplement the overall energy absorbing characteristic of a given automobile construction.
For some vehicle bodies, a relatively stiff resistance from the knee bolster is employed. It has been desired to provide greater compliance in bolster resistance in some vehicles, however. It has also been desired to provide a knee bolster configuration that is suitable for cooperation with the bracketry associated with mounting energy absorbing steering columns. The prior art bolsters have not provided these desired capabilities.